Quiet Candlelight
by Shadow'sDelight
Summary: Scene Setting: Sometimes the only thing that a person needs is reassurance. Warning: Christian themes and OCS. If you don't like it, then don't read it. Also, critiques are welcome but NO FLAMES.


Author Note: Hey everybody! It's really been a long time since I uploaded ANYTHING on and I apologize for that. Truthfully, I had a lot of things going on in my life and I honestly lost my passion for drawing and writing. Dog-gone, writer's block. x Anyway, I would like to explain the characters of this short and give them proper credits to their owners before I forget.

*Ahem* Solarflame belongs to my friend, Fairytalekitty, on DA; which I'm sure ya'll remember from my last story 'Approaching Storms'. If not go and check my friend's DA page and read more about Solarflame. :) I promise you, you won't regret looking through her art gallery. Fairy, as I call her, draw pretty amazing stuff. (By the way, the 'F' in her username is not capitalized, it's lowercased.)

Chrysoberyl is MY character. He and the fan-made Serpentine clan that he hails from are based on the real snake species, Rare Red Phase Bush Vipers. You should definitely look the snake up. They are SO beautiful. Another thing that you should probably know, if you haven't guessed already, is that Chrysoberyl's origins are from Kenya and so are his home tribe. I wanted to try something different when I was just starting to create the location of where my Serpentine clan came from. And so far, the development of my OC tribe have been successful. You can read more about my OC tribe by clicking the link to my page on DA. Warning though, if you're not a member of deviantart then you won't be able to view any of my work. Sorry, I have my reasons.

Oh, and other thing, THIS short has **NOTHING** to do with my friend's Coraltrie comic, you'll find in her gallery. Completely different!

**All characters belong to their RESPECTIVE owners. Please do not copy, steal, or distribute without MY and MY FRIEND'S permission. **

**Thank you.**

Scene setting:

The room is dark, save for a few candles placed in different places thus creating a sensual almost forbidden mood. Solarflame stares with wide eyes as she spots a loan mirror carefully propped up against the wall on the far end of the room. Slowly, she takes a step forward leaving behind the safety of the open doorway. Her pulse quickens as she sees her reflection shrouded in both shadow and candlelight. After a mere moment of gazing into the mirror she blinks and forces herself to break away from the sight of herself. What was Chrysoberyl's idea of this? Did he want to light heartedly make fun of her like he always did- No. "That's a outright lie." She scolded herself. Chrysoberyl would never do something like that. He was too aware of how she really felt about herself and what happened in the past. He was always so kind, encouraging and considerate whenever either subject was brought up or briefly mentioned. Solarflame bit back some tears that were about to spill. She swallowed a lump in her throat and covered her mouth as she tried to control herself from over thinking all of the wonderful moments that she had with her husband - her second husband to be exact. He was so good to her that Solarflame almost felt unworthy to be his wife.

A soft rustle behind her caused Solarflame to jump. However, before she could turn around and see who it was (Although she had strong clue of who it was) two slender arms slipped around her waist and pulled her into a loving embrace. Solarflame gasped lightly and tried to blink back her tears before Chrysoberyl could see them. Although, from the mirror's reflection, he had already seen them much to her ire. A warm rough scaly hand trailed up her stomach while the other took her free hand and embraced it, leaving the 'poor' woman in a state of breathlessness.

Solarflame was in Chrysoberyl's power now and while she knew he would never harm her, the thought of him standing behind her in the softly illuminated room did scare her a little. Solarflame unwilling brought her gaze back to the mirror and nearly stopped breathing at what she saw reflecting back. Her husband was standing behind her, with one arm around her while the other held and caressed her hand in a gentle manner. His light green orbs reflected the soft candle glow, giving him a near feral look that both thrilled yet scared the black serpentine. No matter how many times Solarflame gazed into his eyes, she could never get enough of it.

She could plainly and easily see how depthless and strong his love for her was and that brought another wave of tears - not of self pity but of pure joy and happiness. "Pendo." Chrysoberyl's deep voice rumbled, his eyes kind. "I wanted to create this moment for us to fully see each other as we see ourselves." He leaned his head down and kissed the nape of her neck. "I see you as a brilliant, smart and resourceful mother whose love for her children and family know no bounds. I also see you unwilling to see your own natural beauty and...that makes sad." Solarflame gently nibbled her bottom lip as the Bush Viper's hot breath tickled her neck and scales. She squeezed his hand tighter and let out a soft cry.

Chrysoberyl only brought her hand up and kissed her fingers multiple times as he wound his tail with hers. "I am sad because I know how hard you try to keep smiling even when you want to cry out. You are no longer in the past and everything that has happened is done and over with. Solarflame, I want you to be free but...are you willing to be free?" Solarflame's breathe hitched at the strange but simple question. Of course she wanted to be free but she also scared of what would happen if she let go. Would her marriage to Chrysoberyl have been a dream when she woke up tomorrow? Would she still be married to Cornelius? She shook her head. No. Her marriage to Chrysoberyl would not be a dream. He would be there at her side the moment she woke up, as he always was.

"I...I want to be free from the past." she spoke, breaking the silence several minutes later. "I don't want to continue seeing myself as a failure of a mother a-and a wife." She reached up and brushed her tears away while her husband rubbed her back in silent support. "I-I see you as someone who is willing to love someone as broken and hopeless as me. I don't understand why you do, since you would have better off marrying a virgin, but now I see that you care - actually care h-how I feel, how I'm doing a-and how..." She shook her head back and forth disbelief. "How much you love me!" The black Coraltrie sank against her husband chest as she bitterly wept.

Chrysoberyl held her close and, with ease, supported her weight while he began to pray in his native tongue. "Lord, help Solarflame to completely rid of her demons. Satan has been behind every attack of self hatred, pity, and confusion. Lord, I ask you, as her husband and friend, to please lift up Solarflame in your arms. Let her see and feel Your never ending love right now. Heavenly Father, we give you this victory right now and we do believe that you can do all things. In your holy precious name, I pray, Amen." The Bush Viper looked in mirror and saw his wife gradually became relax and still in his arms. He felt her body shudder as her sobs began to become quieter until she lifted up her head and looked up at him through the mirror.

Her purple eyes were red and puffy from crying but they were also lighter and clearer from the prayer. "C-Chrysoberyl?" she asked. "Yes?" He whispered. "I-I love you and I appreciate everything that you have done and given me." She slowly stood back up and laid her head back on his chest with a sigh. "You've given me something to look forward to everyday. You give me plenty of love and affection and...you're always right there by my side when I'm feeling down." She closed her eyes for a second before opening them again. She smiled shyly as she looked at herself and Chrysoberyl in the mirror. "Thank you." Chrysoberyl's reflection smiled back before dipping its head and kissing Solarflame's right on the lips. "You're welcome." He breathed. The light of the candle seemed to glow bright as the couple began to explore their romantic passion for one another.

~ The End.

Extra information: _Pendo_ is the Kenyan word for 'Love.'


End file.
